Eleven Days in Hell: The 1974 Carrasco Prison Siege at Huntsville, Texas

Twelve—“If you want to come, just come ahead.”

122 The morning sun bolted out of the swamps of western Louisiana, its rays slid across the Sabine River and spiked through the Piney Woods of East Texas. Another scorcher was on its way. The sun’s rays climbed twenty feet to the top of the walls surrounding the red brick fortress in Huntsville and spilled over into the prison yard. With the morning temperature already approaching eighty degrees— the high for the day would near the triple digits, and its late evening thermometer would hover near ninety. Negotiations began again at 10:00 a.m. Warden Husbands told Carrasco he would be given everything he demanded—helmets, walkie-talkies, clothing—everything, except the bulletproof vests. “The bullet-proof vests were something we would not want to give them,” FBI-man Bob Wiatt said. As for the helmets, “the hostiles were more concerned about somebody coming up behind them and shooting them in the head. We didn’t want to make them totally impregnable with bulletproof vests and helmets. It ChapterTwelve July 26, 1974 • DayThree “If you want to come, just come ahead.” —Rudy Dominguez, hostage-taker 123 “IF YOU WANT TO COME, JUST COME AHEAD.” might have brought some act of bravado on their part so we said no to that. But, the helmets seemed to placate them,” Wiatt concluded.1 The warden, with Director Estelle’s approval, offered the M-16 military carbine rifles but there would be no ammunition unless the hostages were released. Carrasco really did not care about the weapons. For him, the demand was just a bargaining chip. He already had all the guns and ammunition he needed. Showing his considerable vanity though, Carrasco shifted his focus to the new clothing. He repeated his demand for tailored suits, Nunn-Bush shoes, shirts and ties, underwear, toilet articles, cologne, shaving cream, razors, toothbrushes, the entire accouterment. He again warned the warden, “I will kill the hostages if the clothes are not good.”2 Such egotism manifested itself among all the hostage-takers. For Dominguez, constantly waving his gun under the noses of cowering hostages made him feel he was a real man. For Cuevas, he beamed when he demanded to make a telephone call and his wish was immediately granted. And for Carrasco, according to Novella Pollard, he gloated when all he had to do was pick up the phone, call the warden’s office, and command almost anything of the authorities and, most of the time, they did his bidding. Steve Robertson felt Carrasco’s ego got its biggest boost from “the press coverage. That made him a hero. He was known all over the world. In my opinion, it wasn’t the clothes, the food, or nothing like that. It was the coverage by the press.”3 Some routines were beginning to develop within the chaos. Carrasco began to think seriously about how his captives were going to get fed. The prison sack lunches were quickly becoming old hat. Everybody needed something more substantial. The hostages sent out orders for food—huevos rancheros, refried beans, rice, tacos, enchiladas, nachos, and flour tortillas. As the official food tester, Father O’Brien got his fill of Tex-Mex cuisine. Then, a demand was telephoned to the warden’s office ordering an electric hot plate, a sauce pan in which food could also be heated, bowls, cans of soup, chili con carne, roast beef, beef stew, fruit cocktail, pears, and peaches. All the requested food was to be delivered in unopened cans. The wily Carrasco wanted 124 CHAPTER TWELVE to make sure there was no way the Texas Department of Corrections could alter the food. Always anxious and forever “hearing things,” Dominguez heard noises again and was convinced TDC was coming. He forced Von Beseda to call Estelle, and while he listened in, she asked Estelle directly, “Are you getting men ready to do something?” Urgently, the director reassured her. “No way! No. No way.” With Dominguez’ prodding, she sought further guarantees. “Now you promise us that you’re not sending anybody over here?” His answer was, “You have my word on that. Your safety is the only thing we’re interested in.”4 Dominguez butted in, deep and menacing. “Let me tell you something. We’re willing to die. If you want to come, just come ahead.”5 It was just one of many instances that made Linda Woodman believe, “The whole picture...